After

After by Amy Efaw

Who would leave her own baby in the trash can to die?


My review:
What a great book, I had heard of this happening this post-birth abortion, if you will, where a mother dumps her baby in a trash can and leaves her to die. I had heard of it, but I didn’t know how big of an epidemic it is, I had never considered the girl who would do this, you know? Aren’t mothers suppose to see their babies on sonograms and fall in love, no matter there age, or situation, there is science that supports this by the way, they aren’t suppose to want to murder their children, though many do, and they shouldn’t want to After they see him or her, right?
So, how do you get there, who are you, to do something so heinous? Well, in Amy Efaw’s After, you are Devon Davenport and you didn’t know you were pregnant, you didn’t know it was your baby you threw in the trash and you don’t understand why you are in jail for attempted murder.
I think as amazing as the title and premise of this book are, the writing and characters are even better and better and better.
This is a book in equal parts sad and hopeful. It ends so well that you won’t feel disappointed, or depressed when it’s over, so if you normally avoid a tragic read, or a book centered around touchy subjects, know that this is one book you will feel is worth the occasional downer moment, because there is so much redemption in the pages.
On another note, I loved reading a book that hadn’t been told before! Though it’s a contemporary novel, the subject matter is rare, to the point I don’t believe it’s been told before, it was great to feel I was reading something completely fresh!
Spoiler alert!
I would love to read a sequel, written from the baby (now a young woman's) perspective, written as her mother, Devon, is released from her jail sentence. We know that Devon is aware of how wrong and awful her actions were, but she never got the chance to fall in love with her daughter, now, how will her daughter feel after all this time and all those foster homes, or having a new mother who has pitied her all her life. I would love to read that Ms. Efaw!

Notes on the Names: The foster parents name the baby Anastasia, which means she who will rise again, which I adored! Devon Davenport is the name of a girl who has it all together, who is going to have a great career, a perky life, she’s got it made, but maybe she’s the one who got herself there. Good names, they really serve there purpose, but you can tell that thought went into the choices.

Thoughts on the cover: Awesome cover, such an awesome cover, not only does it reflect the title (the title reflects SO much in this book!) but it reflects Devon herself. It’s beautiful, it’s melancholy, it’s true. One of my very favorite book covers on my Mod Podge Bookshelf.

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